Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

No jono I never had a shot of Kinsey Gold I have had the silver from the Bottle Ludy Gave me and it is a very nice Blended Whiskey made with older Whiskeys in the blend but I was told by oldtimers the Gold was really a good blend. Mr Kinsey himself was a straight Rye man and I do not think he did much with Blended's.

I think not sure that Kinsey Blended's were a tribute to him from Continental Distilling although Ludy has said he did some blending for Mr Kinsey so it could be the Gold was started by Kinsey.
Kinsey Gold is the oldest version but I think they mostly blended Liqours back then. I would love to get my hands on a bottle of Kinsey Gold won one once 1943 bottle on E Bay and they suddenly cancelled the Auction and just said sorry.

The fact he made mostly Straight Rye is one of the reasons that he went out of bussiness as the new blended's were much cheaper to buy and people were switching to them and away from Rye which to me is and always will be the Best! As Al told me he was of the Idea that Rye was the best and the straighter the better.

I can almost see Mr Kinsey now in the morning getting his jiger out pouring his daily 1 oz of Rye for his health!

I hope to talk to Al Landis again soon at the Linfield reunion and try a get some more good information on Mr Kinsey!

I also I was thinking about how Continental always gave us coveralls to protect our Clothes when we were working they like the Coats they gave us were dark green and heavy duty. They kept all the dirt from the Hoops from ruining your shirts and pants. They were zippered so easy on and off they like our Coats and shoes came from the local work clothes store in Pottstown workmans supply long gone now just like Kinsey.

Those as the song says were the days and we did think they would never end and all at once you wake up and its all gone just a memory but a memory of better times and good people.

We never had to worry about wrecking our clothes and it made the job all the better that they took care of you in what ever it took to do the job.

It was in its time and even by todays standards one of the safest cleanest places you could work, as with my job now you don't think about the chemicals as it is safer at work then many other places you could be.

What Better could I ask then to have worked for Continental Distilling / Kinsey as my first real job and finish working for another Truely great Company in Cabot as my last job.
Dave Z
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Kinsey The Unhurried Whiskey For unhurried Moments

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Dave, Don't forget to post pictures of that PA Distillery 10 sign. If Fricky did anywhere near as good a job on it, as he did on your barrels, it probably looks great. Can't wait to see what it looks like. Joe

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Joe,
Unfortunately there was little that I could do. Apparently, the sign was pulled from the building which caused the plywood to split. It split in such a way that I could not fit it back together. In addition, the paint was flaking severely. The only thing that I could do was to carefully spray it with laquer and then paint over it with varnish. I am sorry that I could not do more.
Doug

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Joe here is the sign after being laqured! Also here is a scan of some paper work from the plant They were selling new barrel staves to a cooperage company in Ky it was so wide I could not quite get all the far side but as you can see they sold them 19,000 Barrel staves in 1977 made in Marcus Hook at our Barrel Plant!

1. Sign after being saved by laqure to keep the lettering from flaking off
2. Paper work from the plant selling a companyin KY 19,000 Barrel staves

Continental Distilling had many friends in companies in KY and offten sold them things.
Dave Z
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Old Hickory America's Finest Bourbon

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Thanks Joe does anyone know anything about this Cooperage Company Picture of Bill on #555 page does it still exsist? They were most likely a long term customer as we had many who were. Continental Distillings Cooperage plant was state of the art and had its own school which Ludy went to learn to be a cooper at. It was from what Ludy has told me a very big Plant and it was located in marcus Hook pa.

Ludy Told me they had lots of their Competitors sending people to the school too!

In their time Continental Distilling was one of the most inventive Distillers in the world. They were always in the forefront of inovation be it using used whiskey Barrels for Scotch or Trying Large barrels they were always coming up with different things.

It was Only because of the death of Mr Si Neuman that it all ended so quickly and sadly.
Dave Z
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It Seems All The nicest People Drink Old Hickory
America's Most Magnificent Bourbon

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Saving the Old Distillery Sign that used to be mounted on DSP-Pa.-12 was a dream come true for me Posted page #555. When I found the Old sign in the rubble Summer 2006 the first thing I thought was to get it out of the pile and positioned so it would not be rained on or have snow laying on it because of the old Paint flaking off.

I had no Idea how I would ever get it out but thankfully I became friends with guys that watch the Plant for the owner and Nov 2008 they brought it out in their Loader to their House where they trimed the bad ends off and then Fricky took it home and Laqered it and now the letters are preserved.

Considering how long it layed there around Late 2002 when the still was knocked down it is amazing it is as good as it is! It is such a great piece of History. I remember it hanging on the Old still when we went in to ring out every night. I am very Thankful I could save it and this winter I hope to go looking again for things to save for History from Kinsey.

This Morning I took a couple of Pictures of my complete sets of Lighting Switch & Pilot Lights from the Plant in my office on my desk and cabinit I will post them tomorrow. I have a total of 11 sets with 13 pilot lights at work and 7 sets at Home.

It was hard work going in and taking them off the walls, and took years and then months getting my Friend at work to wire them but I kept at it to save them for History. One of them is a very Big switch and it is wired to look like it is powering somthing big!
Dave Z
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It Seems All the Nicest people Drink Old Hickory
America's most magnificent Bourbon

Re: My Memories of Kinsey Distilling

Well Here are the Pictures of My explosion Proof Switches and Pilot lights wired like lamps by my friend at work for my office! Since last year when I had to take my Beer can collection home I have been working toward this change in my office. There are 11 sets altogether counting 3 sets at the back. 5 sets on my desk

The last picture is of my old Model cars built when I was young. I found them intack at home and brought them to work to put in front of the Barrel Stave that Fricky did for me for my yrs of Service at Kinsey.

The Barrel stave is in the back ground surounded by my models and pictures of my Favorite English Actress. Also the clock on the right is from my 1952 Chevy Hardtop a friend at work made the holder it is a windup clock and keeps great time!

Note the Big Switch box with the big lever I worked my butt to get that one off the wall in O building and carry it out 1 1/2 miles. Many a weekend morning was spent taking these off walls to save them for History.

All the People in the office really like the Explosion proof lights and the Electrician that did them says he thinks they are most likely a one of a kind thing dreamed up by me. I tell people when they are lit I am in.

In trying to save the History of the Company I have tried my hardest to save everything I can related to daily work at Kinsey and these Explosion proof switches and lights were something I never forgot going in the Old warehouses to rack or take out Barrels you were greeted by them and the Blue Vapors of Aging Whiskey! I will always remember the awesome smell of Whiskey those days as a 19 yr old Kid working there!